Memory Lane

Chapter Nine

Things are really beginning to pick up in the story, so I hope you guys enjoy :) Shoutout to Canva for helping with the design of the attached cover! If anyone would like to submit a cover for me to attach to the future chapters, feel free to DM me on Instagram! Just please only use photos that you have the rights to :)

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"These woods are lovely, dark, and deep. But I have promises to keep." - Robert Frost

Memory Lane: Chapter Nine

Since Jesse's uncharacteristically kind gesture helped me get to class early, Kendall and Quinn haven't arrived yet. When they do, they both pause in the doorway and blink at me. Look at each other. Blink again. And then their faces break out into cheerful smiles as they rush across the room towards me, laughing as they trip over a rogue backpack.

"You made it today!" Kendall gushes.

"Not even just made it, but you got here early!" Quinn adds as she plops into her seat, scooting her entire desk closer to me.

My chest spreads with warmth at their excitement of having five extra minutes to talk to me and I share their smiles.

"New day, new me."

"What made you finally roll out of bed with enough time to get here?" Quinn teases.

"Oh, I didn't wake up any earlier."

"No?" Kendall asks, brows raised in surprise. "How did you manage to get here so soon?"

Sharing the fact that Jesse made a point to apologize to me and showed me the quicker path to school would only have Kendall nodding and saying "I told you so! He's not a bad guy." I don't need to let her boast, especially when I'm still not convinced she's entirely right. One nice gesture doesn't take back the words and accusations he's thwarted my way, but it does help. My smile falters and I look behind her towards Jesse. He's continuing to write in his notebook, so it doesn't seem like he's listening to us.

"I found a new path," it's only a partial lie, "you left earlier than me, though. How was I able to get to class before you?"

Kendall smiles sheepishly and she unconsciously reaches her hands up to comb through her hair. "Allen and I took a, eh, detour before class-"

I cringe and stick my hand out to stop her. "That's my cousin. Save me from any more details, please."

Quinn gives us a puzzled look. "Detour? Is there roadwork happening somewhere?"

Kendall and I look at one another and break out into quiet laughter while Quinn looks between us with a frown.

"What?" She whines, tugging on our arms.

"Not that kind of detour," Kendall admits with a massive blush.

"What does that even- oh."

Our quiet laughter continues as Quinn's eyes widen with her realization. Then, they narrow and she lightly hits Kendall.

"You picked me up after that! Kendall!"

Kendall and I start laughing even harder while Quinn gags, shaking her head to rid whatever image she suddenly thought of.

Once our laughter subsides, I recall a moment during my walk with Jesse. "Oh, and his name was Charles Greeson Jones by the way,"

"Uh, who?" Kendall asks.

"The Titanic guy."

"You mean The Olympic," Quinn quickly interrupts.

I ignore Quinn's remark, as I'm learning we have to do sometimes, to clarify. "The guy that no one could remember the name of at lunch on Sunday."